Private First Class Cunningham was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 1 September 1950 and returned to duty the following day. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Naktong River, South Korea on 16 September 1950.

Cunningham was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.